News and truth

From: Kathimerini

I: 30.11.2003: Theodorakis ‘to clarify’ remarks

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Composer Mikis Theodorakis has asked left-wing Israeli MP Roman Bronfman for a meeting in a bid to clarify remarks that earned him accusations of anti-Semitism, the deputy told AFP.
“Mr Theodorakis, who insists his remarks were only directed at Israel’s policies, invited me for a meeting along with former Palestinian minister Yasser Abed Rabbo,” Bronfman said. Earlier this month, Theodorakis, 78, referred to Jews as “the root of evil,” drawing the outrage of Greece’s Jewish community and angry reactions from Israeli officials and organizations.
“If Mr Theodorakis, who in the past was considered a friend of Israel, wants to apologize, I don’t see why anyone should prevent him,” said Bronfman.
The Ukraine-born Meretz party MP is currently attending a European conference in Athens, along with Abed Rabbo, one of the main initiators of the Geneva initiative, an unofficial peace plan due to be signed on Monday.

II: 1.12.2003: No apology

Left-wing Israeli MP Roman Bronfman said yesterday he had declined an invitation to meet with Mikis Theodorakis after the composer refused to apologize for remarks which sparked accusations of anti-Semitism. Theodorakis had invited Bronfman, from the secular Meretz party, to clear the air after his remarks outraged Greece’s Jewish community and drew angry reactions from Israeli officials and organizations. But Bronfman told AFP he had declined the invitation after the artist said he would “refuse to present a written apology for his comments about Jews.” (AFP)

3.12.2003: Theodorakis statement

"Sir,
With regard to the inaccurate reports in your newspaper on Sunday (Nov. 30, 2003) and Monday (Dec. 1) regarding the meeting that Mikis Theodorakis had with members of the Geneva Accord, we would like to clarify the following:
It is completely wrong to say that Mr Theodorakis invited Israeli MP Roman Bronfman to visit him (let alone to invite him with the aim of «apologizing» for his recent, well-known statements) or that Mr Bronfman «demanded» that Mr Theodorakis apologize in writing so that he might accept the (nonexistent, anyhow) invitation.
The fact is that the organizers of the meeting at the Zappeion, seeking the broadest possible support and solidarity for this initiative, proposed to Mr Theodorakis that he meet at his home with representatives - generally - of members of the conference. He accepted the proposal. Indeed, conference members from Germany, England and Palestine visited him at his home. Whether Mr Bronfman was to take part in this visit, and what precisely stopped him from doing so, is known better by those who organized the meeting - during which Mr Theodorakis declared that he supports this specific peace initiative.
As for the rest, Mr Theodorakis first learned of it in the above-mentioned reports, which we refute.
From the office of Mikis Theodorakis, Athens.

Editor's reply:
The two reports that Mr Theodorakis's office refers to were sent on Nov. 28 and 30 by the Jerusalem bureau of Agence France-Presse, as was clearly marked in our Saturday and Monday editions. We could have checked with Mr Theodorakis's office but had no reason to question the veracity of statements made by the Israeli MP Roman Bronfman. We thank Mr Theodorakis's office for setting the record straight.

Our comment:
That's how information is manupulated these days. First you publish a statement about someone, then it is up to that person to deny it... Congratulations, AFP, AP, Reuters etc.!